Why Astros Stars Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa Aren't Allowed to Compete in WBC

While some of the 2026 World Baseball Classic games will be held at the Houston Astros' Daikin Park, two of the team's brightest stars will not compete in the event following conversations with Astros owner Jim Crane.

Chandler Rome of The Athletic reported Tuesday that Carlos Correa will not play for Puerto Rico, while Jose Altuve will not suit up for Venezuela due to insurance issues with their contract.

"I'm definitely upset because I've been preparing really hard this offseason to get better this year and be ready early so I can be ready for the WBC," Correa said. "I also understand the business side of things and that's too big of a risk to take, to play with no insurance."

For his part, Altuve said, "I signed the paper that I'm willing to go and play like I did in the last two WBCs. It's always an honor to represent my country. I played in the last one and the one before and I'm trying to do it in this one. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes, but it seems like this year it's not up to me."

Rome explained that all MLB players who are set to play in the WBC are evaluated by a third-party insurer who was agreed upon by the league and the players union. If said insurer deems a player's injury history too much to insure him, that player's contract for the following season would not be guaranteed for any missed time due to injuries suffered in the WBC unless his MLB team decides to guarantee it.

While Miguel Cabrera was ruled uninsurable before the 2023 WBC, he still played because, as Rome put it, the Detroit Tigers "likely" guaranteed his future deal.

Correa was limited to 86 games in 2024 and hasn't reached the 150-game mark since his second year in the league in 2016. Altuve underwent an offseason procedure on his right foot and missed time in 2023 after he suffered a fractured thumb during the WBC.

"Jim called me and told me that he wants me to focus on the team and spring training, obviously he traded for me to win a championship here and we had too many injuries as a team (in 2025)," Correa said.

It surely isn't what the Astros stars were hoping for when it comes to the WBC, but it will put them in better position to be healthy for what figures to be an important year for Houston. After all, the team missed the playoffs in 2025 for the first time since the 2016 campaign and is looking to bounce back in 2026.

Altuve and Correa will be a major part of those efforts even though they aren't participating in the WBC.